Taylor County Birth Records Search

Birth records for Taylor County residents are managed through the DOH-Taylor office in Perry. This small county along the Gulf Coast has around 21,800 people. The health department can issue certified birth certificates for any birth that was registered in the state of Florida. Whether you were born in Taylor County or somewhere else in the state, the Perry office connects to the same statewide database. Ordering is simple, and you have three ways to do it.

Taylor County Health Department

The DOH-Taylor office in Perry is where you go for birth certificates in the county. It is a branch of the Florida Department of Health. The office can pull up any birth record that is on file in the state system. Records in the statewide database go back to 1917. Anything before that needs to be handled through the state office in Jacksonville.

Florida requires every birth to be registered within five days. Florida Statute 382.013 lays out this rule. Hospital births get filed automatically. For births at home, the midwife or physician on site must file the registration. Once a birth is in the system, it stays there permanently, and any county health department in Florida can access it. That includes the Taylor County office in Perry.

Check the Taylor County Health Department birth certificates page for the latest details on local procedures.

Ways to Order a Taylor County Birth Certificate

You can get your birth certificate three ways. In person is fastest. Mail is slowest. Online through VitalChek falls in between. Each method gives you a certified copy that works for legal purposes like passports, school enrollment, and name changes.

For in-person service, visit the DOH-Taylor office in Perry during regular hours. Bring a current photo ID. Driver's license, state ID, passport, and military ID are all accepted. Fill out form DH726 at the counter. The form is in English and Spanish. Pay the $9 fee and you can usually get your certificate the same day. There is no need to set up an appointment first. Just walk in.

Mail orders work too but take time. Send a filled-out DH726 form, a photocopy of your valid ID, and payment to the DOH-Taylor office at the address above. Use a check or money order made out to DOH-Taylor. Regular processing by mail takes about two to three weeks. The certificate arrives by standard postal mail.

VitalChek is the only authorized online vendor for Florida birth certificates. You can place an order any time. VitalChek charges a service fee in addition to the $9 state fee. They accept credit and debit cards. Standard delivery is five to seven business days. Rush processing adds $10 and gets your Taylor County birth certificate to you faster.

What It Costs

A first copy runs $9. Each additional copy of the same record is $4 if ordered at the same time. These fees come from Florida Statute 382.0255. They are the same across every county in the state. The search fee is non-refundable. That means you pay even if the state does not find a matching record.

At the Perry office, cash, checks, and money orders are accepted. VitalChek takes cards. The total online cost is higher because of VitalChek's processing charge. For Taylor County residents, going to the office in person is usually the cheapest and fastest route to a certified birth certificate.

Eligibility to Request a Copy

Not everyone can get a certified birth certificate. Florida law limits access. Under Florida Statute 382.025, birth records stay confidential for 125 years from the date of birth. The Taylor County Health Department follows these rules strictly.

People who can request a certified copy include the person on the record (18 or older), parents listed on the certificate, legal guardians with court papers, attorneys acting on behalf of eligible parties, and anyone with a court order. If you fall outside these groups, you can still ask for an informational copy. It has all the same details but is stamped as not valid for legal use. Informational copies work for genealogy and personal reference.

Fixing Mistakes on a Birth Certificate

Errors can be corrected through the state's amendment process. Visit the Florida DOH amendments page for forms and instructions. The Bureau of Vital Statistics in Jacksonville handles all amendments. The Taylor County office does not process corrections on its own.

Small fixes need supporting documents and a fee. A misspelled name or wrong date of birth can usually be corrected with a simple application. Bigger changes require a court order under Florida Statute 382.016. Adding a father to the record or changing a legal name are examples of major amendments that require court involvement. Once approved, the state issues a new certificate. The whole process can take weeks.

The Florida Department of Health birth certificates page shows how to order a certified copy from Taylor County.

This page covers all the steps Taylor County residents need to follow when requesting a birth certificate.

Cities in Taylor County

Taylor County is a small, rural county. All residents use the DOH-Taylor office in Perry for birth certificate services.

Communities in Taylor County include Perry, Steinhatchee, Salem, and Shady Grove. Residents of these areas use the same health department for birth records.

Nearby Counties

Taylor County borders a handful of other counties in the Big Bend region of Florida. You can request a birth certificate from any county health department in the state.